Rafters Compete At Fest

June 01, 1986|The Morning Call

The first Lehigh River Whitewater Festival at White Haven attracted 500 rafters in yesterday's opener of the two-day fest.

The rafters - 100 five-member teams in novice and skilled classes - competed in a 10-mile race that began at 11:30 a.m. and ran through 3:30 p.m. The 100 teams entered the river at one-minute intervals to compete in the 10-mile down-river race.

Entrants came from Florida, Virginia, Maryland, Maine, New York, New Jersey and throughout Pennsylvania. The festival is free and was planned by the White Haven Business Improvement Committee, and inaugurates Pennsylvania's observance of National Rivers Month.

Dr. Larry D. Skinner of White Haven, race committee chairman, gave the rafters, who were broken up into more manageable units of 20 rafters, an indoctrination and safety pointers on rowing.

"If the raft comes aground on a rock, the person who is sitting at the rock is now an anchor. Stand up and move to another side, or you'll bethere a long, long time."

Skinner also advised the rafters that there was a canister on board to bail out water, "but if there's too much water, it's easier to row to the side of the river, step outside of the raft and turn it over."

There were also 12 canoes and eight kayaks registered for races.

During the races, on-river safety supervision is provided by Whitewater Challengers, a White Haven-based river outfitter, who also provides shuttle bus service.

Plaques will be awarded at 7 p.m. today to first through third-place teams posting the best times in competition both days.

A blocklong section in the borough's business district was closed to traffic and is filled with arts and crafts stands, ethnic and other foods and beverages.

Today's events, with magician Dave Lyle of Levittown, Pa., as master of ceremonies, begins at 11 a.m. with BMX bike tricks performed by a six-bicycle riding team from Pedal Power of Stroudsburg. A second performance will be at 2 p.m. Lyle performs in costumes as a cowboy, carnival barker and Mississippi riverboat gambler, in between other activities from 4 to 8 p.m.

Smokey Bear and the Army Corps of Engineers' Freddie the Fish will be roaming the grounds today.

Jerry Haines, Hershey folk singer, performs at 12:30 p.m. today.

A series of whitewater river films will be shown at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. today, and a model airplane show is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. The model airplanes will be at Linesville Park, White Haven.